William j



(No Model.) I

W. J. LATGHFORD.

RAFTING WEDGE.

No. 345,153. a Patented Ju lyfi, 1886.

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\VILLIAM J. LATOHFORD, OF STILIAVATER, MINN., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO H. T. KING AND MYRON I. MOKUSICK, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

RAFTlNG-WEDGE.

r'iPECIFICATIONiorming part of Letters Patent No. 345,153, July 6. 1836.

- Application filed November 9, 1895. Serial No. ISi'fIEZ. (No modelfiv T aZZ whom it may, concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J LATCH.- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stillwater, in the county of Washington and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rafting \Vedges, of which the following is a specification, reference being had, therein to the accompanying drawings. 1 .My invention relates to certain improvements upon thepins or wedges used in rafting to unite with the logs the connecting-line which ties or binds together the logs making up the raft.

Heretofore it has been customary in rafting logs to employ perfectly-plain pins which are driven part way into the logs,leaving their ends project suliiciently far to allow the conneeting rope or line to be passed around them by two or more half-hitches; but such arrangement is subject to the objection that it requires a large amount of rope for these hitchesnearly one-half the amount used being employed in this way-thus greatly in- 2 creasing the cost of rafting, and to the further objection that the projecting ends of the pins are liable to become broken off, thus freeing the log from the rest of the raft, and allowing it to escape and become lost. Both of these objections it is the object of my invention to overcome.

Another well-known device consists of a wedge slotted part way from its lower sharp ened edge toward its butt-end, and which 3 5 straddles the connecting-rope; but this also is subject to objections which I overcome by the use of my invention. For instance, it is found that a wedge of such earlier construction is liable to become loosened, and to allow the ,0 rope to slip, and to finally become drawn out of the log into which it is driven, by reason of the great strain to which it is subjected from the connecting-rope, the strain being applied directly to the wedge. This objection is 5 particularly felt when rafting in swift waters, where the strain upon the various parts of the raft is ofttimes exceedingly great, and yet where it is necessary that all parts of the raft should remain intact throughout its entire 0 journey, in order to prevent loss. The connecting-rope which is usually employed is made from hard-twisted hemp, and it is found from actual experience that after a wedge of such earlier form has been driven into the logsuch seat or notch are grooves or cut-away portions in the sides of the wedge, in which cut-away portions the rope may lie and be confined between the wedge and the log.

To better illustrate my invention I have shown several forms of my device, although others will readily suggest themselves to those practically acquainted with the art to which my invention belongs.

Figure l is a view in perspective of one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of a portion of a log with my wedge in-' sorted therein. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are pen spective views of modified forms.

In the drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A represents the body portion of the wedge or.pin. It is usually made from some hard wood, and is adapted to be driven into the log D, to hold the rope E, by which the logs are fastened together.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, B represents an oblique notch in the side or edge of the wedge, usually about three-eighths of an inch in depth. Extending from the notch B to the top of the wedge are two grooves, G O, situated in the corners of the wedge and separated by the rib F. These grooves O are usually about three-eighths of an inch deep in the direction of the depth of the notch, and about one-fourth of an inch deep in the opposite direction. These dimensions are suitable when a rope of thrce-eighths of an inch in diameter is used, that being the size usually employed, although I do not wish to be limited to any particular dimensions in this respect. The

rope is placed in the notch B, and as the wedge Under some circumstances it may be pracis driven into the log is carried thereby below the surface of the log, the rope falling into the grooves O G, as shown in Fig. 2, where it is closely held against slipping. \Vhen the rope is held in this manner it is practically impossible for the rope either to be drawn through its seats in the wedge, which overcomes liability from wear of friction by slipping of the rope, or for the rope to draw the wedge out from its seat in the log. Sh ould' the wedge be driven into the log until its buttend is flush with the surface thereof, it might I be impossible to withdraw it when it became desirable to separate the logs, thus rendering it necessary to cut the rope, which would result in considerable loss. To avoid this I drive the wedge into the log only part way, leaving the butt end projecting a shortdistance above the surface, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the rib F may be broken or split off, thus allowing the rope to be withdrawn without cutting it.

In Fig. 3, instead of grooving the edge of the wedge, as in Fig. 1, the whole side of the upper part of the wedge is shown cut away, in order to allow the rope to be carried down with the wedge, and to lie between it and the log.

In Fig. 4 the wedge is shown as centrally slotted from its beveled edge upward toward the butt-end, so that it may straddle the rope,

there being grooves for the rope in the side of the wedge extending from the upper end of the slot or seat to the butt-end of the wedge.

It will be seen that in all the constructions which I have shown the principal strain of the rope is sustained by the log itself, and not, as heretofore, solely by the pin or wedge. This greatly increases the effective strength of a wedge of given size and weight, besides niaterially lessening the danger of withdrawing it from the log.

ticable to dispense with the notch B, simply employing the rope seats or grooves G O, as shown in Fig. 6, such construction being partieularl y adapted for use upon logs which have either holes or slits formed therein for the re ception of the wedge, as is often the ease with timber which has been squared or partially dressed.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the corners of the wedge as being rounded, the upper edge or face of the rib F being also beveled, as atf, in order to prevent its being struck and broken off when the wedge is being driven into a log.

. \Vhat I claim is a 1. The herein-described rafting-wedge, consisting of the body portion A, having the rope-- seat B situated between the two ends thereof, and the ropeseats extending from the seat B toward the butt-end ofthe wedge, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein'deseribed rafting-wedge, consisting of the body portion A, having the notch B, the grooves O, and the rib F, situ ated between the grooves, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a raft-10g and connecting-rope, the herein-descri bed wedge,having the ropeseatB and the grooves C G, where by the rope is confined between the wedge and the log, the said wedge projecting above the surface of the log, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The herein-described raftingwvedge A,

having the ropeseats C O in its sides, sul

stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VIL'LIAM J. LATOHFORD. \Vi t nesses:

J. S. BARKER, M. 1?. GALLAN. 

